1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to a robotic or artificial arm and more particularly a robotic hand and fingers, lightweight and dexterous, having human like manipulation.
2. Background Art
Robotic arms, hands and fingers have been in use and disclosed by others with the usual mechanics using metal, bearings, cables, and pulleys. The use of robotic hands in various applications is apparent today. The need for robotic arms and hands has been prevalent in areas such as prosthetics, space exploration or other work environments where a human hand is not possible or desired. In many work environments, or for the sheer realism, human like manipulation is needed for conducting tasks which require precision, for instance in grasping objects with the necessary strength and at the same having sufficient control and dexterity.
Most robotic hands have a plurality of digits, the little, ring, middle, index and thumb. Each finger is segmented into phalanges, where the tip is the distal phalange, followed by the middle (or medial) phalange, the proximal phalange and then the metacarpal at the knuckle. In constructing robotic hands with the detail, functionality and realism of human hands, the assembly can be highly complex and difficult to maintain. Servicing in turn is both difficult and often. In addition, certain assemblies result in a bulky design and also become too costly in both parts, manufacturing and as mentioned servicing.
Many robot hands have been disclosed as driven with pneumatics or electric motors. Other robot hands similar to such mechanisms are being developed by such entities as Utah/MIT, Stanford/JPL, Okada, Barrett, Bologna University, DLR German Aerospace Center, LMS, DIST Genova, Robonaut NASA, Tokyo and Karlsruhe University, Ultralight research center of Karlsruhe, Gifu University Japan. Others have incorporated tactile capacitive sensing, such as Pressure Profile Systems Inc. onto robot hands. However, none of these attempts have addressed or solved the issues of providing a robot hand and arm of a compact, inexpensive, light weight product having sufficient power and necessary control.
Prior attempts discussed above have the disadvantages and problems associated with fingers being too complex and difficult to build. In addition, power and dexterity is insufficient and cost for manufacturing such devices is much too high. Forearms have been designed but are too bulky and large to work on a robot. Simplicity in the mechanism for the movement in the fingers of the robot hand is missing. In addition, the use of sliding friction leads to cable going slack and other associated problems such as jerky motions.
Therefore, there is a need for a solution to such problems such that a robot arm is both efficient and easier to manufacture, having sufficient power and dexterity in movement in various directions and at the same time provide for realistic and humanly realistic movement. It is accordingly a principal object of the invention to provide for robot hand with the power, speed, dexterity, control and feedback of a human hand at a minimal cost.